The Final Encore for the Gary Moore Collection — Legends’ Guitars and Stage Gear Head to Auction

When a guitarist like Gary Moore leaves behind his instruments, it isn’t just an auction — it’s a final bow from one of the most passionate players to ever plug into an amp. This November, Bonhams London will host The Final Encore, a landmark sale featuring Moore’s personal collection of guitars, amplifiers, and memorabilia that defined his sound and his story.

From his early days with Thin Lizzy to his career-defining blues albums like Still Got the Blues, Moore’s playing was fire and finesse rolled into one. His tone — raw, vocal, and impossible to imitate — came from the way he treated his instruments: not as tools, but as extensions of his emotion. The pieces now heading to auction are part of that emotional architecture, each one carrying a fingerprint of his sound.

Among the highlights are instruments that shaped entire eras of his career. The collection includes vintage Gibson and Fender guitars, rare amplifiers, and even handwritten lyrics from his collaborations with legends like George Harrison. Each lot bears the physical marks of touring life: fret wear, scratches, handwritten notes, even bits of tape left on knobs — evidence that these weren’t collector’s items when Moore used them, but living, breathing partners on stage and in the studio.

Other highlights of the sale include:

• Gary Moore: Fender Telecaster Electric Guitar, 1963. Estimate £12,000–18,000

• Gary Moore: Gibson ES-355TD Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitar, 1960. Estimate £15,000–20,000

• Gary Moore: Gibson SG Les Paul Electric Guitar, 1962/63. Estimate £10,000–15,000

• Gary Moore: Marshall 1962 JTM Mk. IV Combo Amplifier, 1966/67. Estimate £8,000–10,000

• Gary Moore: George Harrison’s handwritten lyrics to “That Kind of Woman,” 1989. Estimate £4,000–6,000

The auction will take place in November at Bonhams London, giving collectors and fans a chance to own a piece of real guitar history — not just for its rarity, but for what it represents: decades of artistry, relentless pursuit of tone, and the soul of a musician who never played a safe note.

Gary Moore’s legacy lives in every bend, every sustain, every roar of feedback that these instruments once produced. And as they pass to new hands, the hope is simple — that they’ll be played again, loud and alive, just as he would have wanted.

By Dara Christine – October 30 2025